Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-04-22
1T agAjnQton s tan1ard
BOTTLES BABY.
CHATTER TX.

been put; nav, to recall the chaf he had
endured, AMI then TO discover that Mss
MIgnon was Gilchrist'S cii.d-the child of
the man Ia went perhaps nearer to haring
than any one he had ever known in all his
life! Everything came back to him then
the dead mans jibes and sneers AMI taunts,
his unwearied efforts to tax him with an Of
tense which he knew he had not committed
And though he had failed in that, OH VIVA;
fool Gilchrist had made o. himl That wa
the sting BOTTLES felt most OF anything.
For hours alter he left the anteroom Boot
les kept out of every ones way-iideej unit
Lacy came to tell him that Gilchrist wa
dead. Then. it being close upon the hour Of
eleven, he went and knocked at the door OF
Mignon's nursery. The nurse opened it
few inches, and, seeing who it was, set it
OPEN wide.
rs Miss Mignon asleepr' he asked.
Eyes, sir; hours ago." the woman an
swered.
child was lying. A candle burned on a
table beside the cot, casting its light on the
lair baby face, now flushed in sleep, and on
the tangled golden curls. Both her arms
lay outside the elder coverlet, one hand
grasping the whip with which he Rad ridden
and uon that day, the other holding lhe
card of the races. Bottles bent and scanned
her face closely, but not one trace could he
discern of likeness to the father-not one
and he drew q deep breath of relief that it
was So
Well he remembered Lacy's puzzled
scrutiny Of the year-old baby. "There's
likeness but I don't know where to plant
it." If there had been a likeness to Gilchrist
then, it had now passed away; aud a
Bottles satisfied himself that 1t was so, hill
love for her, which during the last few hours
had hung trembling in the balance, though
he would hardly have acknowledged it, even
to himself, reasserted itself, and rose up in
his heart stronger than ever. Just then she
moved uneasily in her sleep
"Lal, where is Bootles" she asked. Then,
after a pause, 'Gotted another headacheT
And an instant later, Miss Grace said
Mignon was to be "'ery kind to Bottles"
Boobies bent down and kissed Ler and she
awoke
Boobies she said, in sleepy surprise;
then, imperatively, ''Take me up"
So Boobies carried her to the fire in the
adjoining room, where the nurse was sewing
. fresh frin Of lace on the pretty velvet
frock, with its braidings Of scarlet and gold,
which she had worn that day.
''Lal said Mgnon wasn't to 60 to BOTTLES"
Ghe said reproachfully.
'Bootles has been bothered, Mignon," he
answered
'Poor Bootles!" stroking his cheek with
her soft hand. "Bootles was vexed; Lal
said so. But not with Mignon. Mignon
told LAl Co." confidently.
''Never with Mgnon," answered Bottles,
resting his cheek against the tossed golden
curls, and feeling as if no had done this
faithful baby nears moral injustice % Ids
hours Of anger and doubt
There was a moment Of silence, broken
by the nurse 'Have you heard, sir, how
Mr.. Gilchrist isl" she asked.
Bottles reused himself. HE d dead,
nursa. Died half an hour ago."
''Then, II you please, sir" she asked, hest
tatingly, uni ght ask il It Is true about
Miss NignonT
Eyes, It is true" his face darkening.
'Becausc, sir, Miss Mignon should have
mourning" she began, when Boobies cut heE
short
II shall not allow her to wear mourning
for Mr.. Gilchrist," he said, curtly; so the
nurse dared say no more
Three days later the funeral took Place;
and II the facts Of the dead mans having
acknowledged Miss Mignon a. his child, and
having admitted to Bottles that he had
Transferred her that night from his OWL
quarters to Bootles rooms, created a sensa
ton. it was as nothing to the intense sur
prise caused by the will, which was read, by
the dead mans desire, before all the officer
Of the regiment.
In it be left his entire property to biz
daughter, Mary 0ilchrist, now in the care
Of Capt Ferrers, and commonly known q
Nignon, ON condition that Capt. Ferrerl
consented to be her sole guardian and trustee
until she had attained the age of 81, or until
her marriage, provided It should DO will
her guardians sanction, and on the express
understanding that Capt Ferrers should MOI
give up the care Of the child to her mother
even temporarily. To bis wife, Helen Gil
christ, . copy Of this testament was to b
sent forthwith. Should any Of the condi
lions be violnted, the whole property o
which be died possessed should 60 to hi
cousin, Lucian Gavor Gilchrist; but II tn
conditions DO faithfully observed Capt. Fer
rers should have the power Of applying any
or all, VI the income arising from the estat
for the use and maintenance Of the said Mar
Gilchrist
"Cwraiyr murmured Lacy to Boobies
VINO uSl0Q00 IN COUIouptuOuS b1ouC0, 0uS
wondered in NO small dismay what kind of /,
Life he should have II Nignon's mother chos
to make herself Objectionable.
But the will was not crazy at all; IA
from it. II was only . very cleverly though
out plan for keeping mother and child apart
Boobies would take caro- not to endange
Nignons inheritance. and Gilchrist haa
taken advantage Of it to carry out his ami
mostly tow ards his wife to the bitter end.
But, Of course, there was one contingenc,
he had never thought Of or provided for
marriage.
It was less than q week after Gilchrist'
death that Boobies received q note by hand
dgned Helen Glchrist.
'.Alreadyr he groaned, impatiently.
''Nay trouble yor to send the child
go me for ali an hour during this after
noon," she scid, and that was all
But Boobies did not see sending the chill
to be quietly stolen away. he forgot quit
that since Gilchrist had not left his widow
farthing she would probably be now no bel
ter able to provide for the child than she ha
been whom compelled to cast her baby upo
the fathers mercy. Therefore, immediatel
after lunch, be drove down to the hotel fror
which the note had been written. Yes; Mr.
Gilchrist was within-this way. And then
then-Bootles, with the child fast holdin
his hand, was shown into . room, and ther
they found-Miss Gracei
q